Textile carding machine



May 30, 1967 vA. BURNHAM TEXTILE CARDING MACHINE Original. Filed June25, 1963 United States Patent O 3,321,810 TEXTILE CARDIN@ MACHHNEEVirgil Allan Burnham, Saco, Maine, assigner, by mesne assignments, toMaremont Corporation, Chicago, lll., a corporation of IllinoisContinuation of application Ser. No. 290,388, .lune 25, 1963. Thisapplication (ict. 5, i965, Ser. No. 493,019 4l Claims. (Cl. l9-10'7)This application is a continuation of Ser. No. 290,388, filed June 25,1963. now abandoned. Its invention relates to textile carding machinesand more particularly to novel pneumatic means for removing short fibersand for stripping fibers and trash from the flats of cards.

The function of a card, as is well known is the textile art, is to cleanand separate fibers from dirt and trash and from one another and toremove such dirt and trash, together with short fibers while removing ordamaging the longer bers to as small a degree as possible.

The so-caled flat card, which has a series of flats in endless chainform set close to the main cylinder and moved slowly along it, has longbeen used in the textile art. The flats are located as close together aspossible to seal out the escape of lint and dust in the interest ofcleanliness, but nevertheless lint, dust and short fibers areaccumulated by the flats during the carding operation. Such has beenremoved from the ats by mechanical means such as a rotary brush, forexample, and collected on the roll or in a pan. It then has to beremoved by the operator from the brush or pan several times during theday. This conventional mechanical means not only utilizes the operatorsvaluable time but it fails to remove the lint that is thrown out frombetween t-he flats by the air currents created by the rotation of themain cylinder. Although some of the lint is accumulated on a scavengerroll inside the fiat assembly, a large percentage of the lint collectson the inside of the flats and on all adjacent parts thus requiringfrequent cleaning. The mechanical cleaning means also fails to removethe air laden with abrasive materials that is blown out with the lint.This abrasive laden air is not only detrimental to the Inechanicalbearings on the card but is harmful to the health of the personnel inthe area of the cards.

ri`he present invention deals especially with the problems presented bythe foregoing conditions. Its `aim is not only to remove theaccumulations from the tiats but also to greatly increase the separationof short fibers, as well as to remove the lint and short fibers soseparated from the inside of the flat assembly and remove the dust ladenair, thus saving labor, improving the efliciency of short fibersremoval, reducing the cleaning requirements of the card, reducing thewear of the mechanical components, and creating a more healthy conditionfor the personnel in the card room.

A further object of this invention is to reduce the number of mechanicalcomponents, thus simplifying and reducing the cost of the machine.

A still further object of this invention is to facilitate the removingof the strips from the tiats, in which the direction of movement of theflats is reversed from the conventional, so that the strips are removedin the same direction as the rake of the teeth on the flats, rather thanin the opposite direction.

According to the present invention, these objects of the invention areaccomplished by means of two major changes relative to the conventionalflat card, both invoiving control of air flow in the region of the fiatsof the card which changes are interdependent upon one another for mostefficient operation.

The first of these changes involves the spacing of the flats from oneanother in the region in which they are ad- 3,32 l i 0 Patented May 30,l 967 ICC jacent to the main cylinder, contrary to the former practicewhich decreed that the ats should be as close together as mechanicallypossible. Utilizing a spacing between the flats of at least 0.065 but.not exceeding 0.125 inch, in the region in which the fiats are set closeto the main cylinder, of the order of 0.005 to 0.020 therefrom, tocreate a substantial transfer of fibers back and forth between the atsand cylinder, the short, unspinnable fibers released during the transferare passed between the spaced flats into the interior of the flats byreason of the air flow between the spaced Hats created by the rotationof the carding cylinder and otherwise. By reason of this aspect of theinvention, a uniquely high degree of removal of unspinnable liber isprovided, and without the addition of further structure to the card.

The second of these changes involves a novel pneumatic stripper havingits mouth opening positioned closely adjacent to the flats preferably ata point immediately following the point at which they move away fromtheir operating relationship to the card cylinder, and preferably at apoint at which the ats are passing around an end bight so that asubstantially increased space is present between the flats, for removalof unspinnable fibers and other material from inside the endless chainof ats. The mouth opening of the stripper of the invention extendsentirely across the machine, but is of limited peripheral extentpreferably less than the width of a card hat and has a lower lipextending for about the width of a flat around the bight toward the cardcylinder, so that a fllat is stripped simultaneously throughout itslength by air passing into said mouth from across and between the flats,a suitable source of suction being provided to create `an air flow ofrelatively high velocity for stripping. More specifically, the pneumaticstripper of the invention is positioned at the bight of the fiatsadjacent the inlet side of the card cylinder, the operating flats beingmoved preferably in a direction opposite to the direction of movement ofthe card cylinder from input to output, that is from the output side ofthe card toward its input side.

Also, according to the invention, the card flats are provided with stripsheet metal metallic teeth which rake in the direction of flat movement,air movement being pr-ovided between the flats as well as across a flatbetween it and said lower lip in the same direction as the rake of theteeth on the flats to facilitate removal of fibers therefrom.Preferably, the card cylinder is provided with similar teeth which rakein the direction of cylinder movement.

Still further objects and features of the invention will become apparentfrom the following detailed description of a preferred embodimentthereof, together with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic vertical longitudinal section of a typical fiatcard embodying my invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged isometric detail view of a portion of the card ofFIG. l, showing the cooperation of my novel spaced flats and pneumaticstripper means with the elements of the card;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of my novel pneumatic stripper as used withthe card of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section of a portion of thecard of FIG. l, showing thel cooperation of my novel spaced flats andpneumatic stripper means with the fiats and the cylinder of the card;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are enlarged detail views of the strip sheet metalmetallic teeth elements on the card flats; and

FIGS. 7 and 8 are enlarged vertical views of portions of the card ofFIG. l, showing the rake of the teeth thereof.

Apparatus embodying my invention may be used with any suitableconventional card. As diagrammatically represented in FIG. l, this mayhave the usual lickerin cylinder 10, fed by any suitable picker lap 12,which separates and delivers fibers to a main card cylinder 14, whichcards the fibers in cooperation with the fiats 16 and delivers thefibers to a dofiing cylinder 1f; from which they are removed in the formof a card web 20 by the dofling comb 22. The flats are arranged in anendless chain which is separated by wheels and sprockets into two spacedfiights 24 and 26, separated by bights 24a and 26a, the flight 24 beingguided so that `the surfaces 27 of the flats are maintained by cardcylinder guide surface 13 in carding relationship with the card cylinderthroughout a large part of its circumference, with tooth tip clearancesof 0.005 to 0.020 inch. The flats are moved very slowly relatively tothe rotation of the card cylinder. This movement is so slow that theflats may be considered stationary as far as carding action on thefibers is concerned. A casing 30 encloses as much of the card proper asis practical. However various large openings in the casing areessential. The most important of these is at the space occupied by thefiight 24 of flats. The casing includes shields adjacent the main anddofling cylinders, and includes a shield or cover adjacent the licker-inroll and proximate portions of the main cylinder. These shields extendsubstantially the full axial length of the cylinders.

Each fiat 16 consists mainly of a bar 32 of Vshaped cross section (FIGS.2 and 4) extending across the width of the card cylinder. At each end,each bar is pivoted to an endless chain 36 at pivot points 37 (FIG. 4).The two endless chains pass over a pair of sprockets 38. As shown inFIGS. l and 2, the chains and flats form a fiight 24 which is concavewith respect of the card cylinder, and a fiight 26 which consists of aseries of loops, which are convex with respect to the card cylinder, inwhich the individual flats are upside down with respect to the fiats inthe fiight 24. Where the chain passes over the sprockets 38, the flatsare necessarily widely separated, the interval between them being of theorder of 1/s to 1A inch. The space between the two fiights may be of theorder of eight inches. The fiats in the two fiights in effect form wallsof anair chamber or enclosure 44 open at both sides throughout thelength of the flights. The widely separated fiats which are passing overthe sprocket 38 provides slots 40a constituting passages connecting withthe main passage 44.

According to the present invention, the fiats 16 are provided with stripsheet metal toothed members 17 extending across the narrow dimension ofthe fiat 16, preferably with the teeth of adjacent rows staggered withrespect to one another, all as shown in FIGS. 5-7. The teeth of suchmembers are raked as is best shown in FIG. 7 toward the direction ofmovement of the yflats as is hereinafter more fully described.Preferably, the main cylinder 14 is Wound with strip sheet metal toothedmaterial 15 of the same general type, and the tips of the toothed member17 of the fiats are spaced from the tips of the toothed members 15 ofthe card cylinder a distance C of about 0.005 to 0.020 inch.

It is a vital feature of the present invention that the flats 16 arearranged with a slot 40 in between them, when the flats are in cardingrelationship with the cylinder, as best shown in FIG. 4. The slot widthis exaggerated on the drawing for clarity. By maintaining the slot width:at least as wide as 0.065 to 0.125 inch, while the fiats are in suchrelationship, the short unspinnable fibers below about 1/2 inch inlength, are released during the transfer back and forth between thepoints of the teeth 17 on the fiat and the points of the teeth 15 on thecylinder. The slot width between the fiats should be kept below amaximum width that will maintain efiicient pressure to blow the fibersbetween the fiats, preferably not much exceeding 0.125 inch. Thisarrangement provides a multiplicity of areas for the short unspinnablefibers to escape from the carding process without the longer fibersbeing removed from the cylinder, resulting in a very efficient method ofi removing unspinnable fibers during the carding process.

The invention also includes means for removing the short fibers whichare blown inwardly of the flats through slots 40, together with any dustso removed, including means for maintaining a current of air through thepassages 40 and along the face of a fiat 16a to remove fibers therefrom,this air being thereafter conveyed to any suitable filter for separatingthe fly. To this end, it is preferable that the fiats in cardingrelationship to the cylinder be moved in a direction toward the inletend of the card, preferably opposite to the direction of rotation of themain cylinder, and in the same direction as that of the rake of theteeth 17 on the card fiats. The teeth 15 on the main cylinder rake inthe direction of movement of the cylinder, as shown.

As exemplified herein, the novel pneumatic means of the invention forcreating and maintaining these air currents includes a hood 50 close tothe fiats where they pass over the sprockets at the left of FIG. 1. Thehood 50 has a lmouth opening or orifice 52 spanning the entire length ofthe fiats 16 across the card, as well as a lip 54. The latter extendsaround the bight toward the card cylinder for a distance about as greatas the width of a card fiat. The suction at the orifice 52 not onlyremoves the strip on the flats by creating a current of air along anadvancing flat 16a (FIG. 8) between said fiat and lip 54 but alsoremoves the short fibers and other waste material that accumulates onthe inside of the fiats as a result of having been drawn through thesingle passageway 40a successively exposed thereto. The pressure of theshort fiber and dust laden air is higher through the passageway 40 atthe area where the periphery of the card cylinder is under the infiuenceof the last fiat 16b successively in carding relationship therewith. Thelargest amount of short fiber and dust laden air is created in the areaclose to the influence of the suction member. FIG. 1 showsaforementioned typical arrangement of the card wherein the suctionmember 50 is connected by a suction line 58 to a filter 60 including afan.

In operation, air is drawn into the enclosure 44 between the fiights attwo principal entrances, these being the two sides of the slots 40between the spaced tiights. Air leaves the passage 44 through oneprincipal exit, the single slot 40a between the fiats open to hoodorifice 52, since the latter is narrower than a fiight and so cannotaccommodate two such slots 40. This current of air carries with it, intothe hood 50, a very large proportion of the short fibers liberated bythe card fiats and by the main card cylinder. These short fibers,together with other waste, are carried to the filter 60 and so are keptout of the atmosphere surrounding the card.

In addition to removing the dust and lint laden air from between thefiights, the present invention is particularly unique in removing thestrip from flats 16, by creating an air current through the passagewaybetween lip 54 and fiat 16a. To ensure that such air current is ofsufficiently high velocity to strip the teeth 17 of a fiat 16a advancingalong lip 54, `a relatively small clearance of the order of 1%@ to 3%;inch (distance D in FIG. 8) should be maintained between the points ofteeth 17 and the inner surface of lip 54. It should be notedparticularly that the air current so created is in the same direction asthe rake of teeth 17 on fiats 16, so that fibers are cleanly removedtherefrom.

The hood '50 with its lip 54 extends beneath the fiats 16 and as closeto them as practical. This lip may, if desired, be provided with endpieces to cause as much as possible of the air drawn into the hood to bedrawn from the passage 44 and along lip 54. For best results thelongitudinal air intake throttling slot 52, that is, the mouth orificeof the hood 50, should be at least about as wide as the maximum space40a between flats 16 at the bight 26a, as shown in FIG. 4. Althoughappreciable quantities of air can `be drawn into the hoods from outsidethe enclosure 44, sufficient air is drawn into said enclosure throughthe slots 40 to prevent important quantities of air and short fibers andother waste from leaving the main cylinder of fiats except through thefiltering system.

The hood 50 is constructed and arranged to provide a uniform suctionacross the width of the card (FIG. 3). The cross section of the hood issmallest at the remote end and increases progressively to the centerwhere it is connected to pipe 58. In this way currents of uniformvelocity across the width of the card enter the opening 52.

Thus it will be seen that the invention provides a unique solution tothe problem of short fiber removal and cleaning of a card. Variousmodifications of the invention, within the spirit thereof and the scopeof the appended claims, will be apparent to those skilled in the cardingart.

I claim:

1. A fiat card having a card cylinder rotatable to move fibers from theinlet end to the outlet end of said card, an endless chain of flats incarding relationship with the cylinder, the flats being disposedparallel to the axis of the cylinder in a pair of flights separated by apair of bights, the individual adjacent flats being relatively widelyinitially separated by at least 0.065 inch substantially throughout thefiights and relatively further separated at the bights forming an airenclosure having side openings between the flights and end openings`between the fiats at the bights, means for moving said fiats to movethe flight of said iiats in carding relationship with said cylinder, andpneumatic means providing, with the rotation of said carding cylinder, acurrent of air inwardly between the individual adjacent dats when saidflats yare in carding relationship with said cylinder to remove shortfibers from said cylinder and draw them into the interior of saidendless chain of flats and, a current of air to remove tibers from theinterior of said endless chain of flats.

2. A fiat card as claimed in claim 1 wherein said flats are widelyseparated by at least 0.065 to 0.125 inch.

3. A fiat card as claimed in claim l wherein said pneumatic means forapplying suction includes a hood having a mouth opening extendingentirely across said card, said mouth opening being of limitedperipheral extent less than the width of a card fiat and means forapplying suction to said hood to remove iiber's outwardly between pairsof individual adjacent fiats.

4. A flat card as claimed in claim. 3 wherein said hood has a lower lipextending for a dist-ance at least about as great as the width of a cardflat providing a current of air along an advancing individual fiatbetween said lip and said yadvancing flat in the same direction as therake of the teeth of said advancing iiat to remove fibers therefrom inthe direction of said rake.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,297,367 3/1919 Lamb 19-1021,338,651 4/1920 Goldsmith 19-109 1,441,850 1/1923 Hamilton 19-1071,642,758 9/1927 Wilkinson et al. 19-107 2,683,901 7/1954 Griswold 19107X 2,900,672 8/ 1959 Hollingsworth 19-112 FOREIGN PATENTS 548,777 10/1922France.

21,672 of 1898 Great Britain. 666,185 2/ 1952 Great Britain. 860,417 2/1961 Great Britain.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner. DORSEY NEWTON, Examiner.

1. A FLAT CARD HAVING A CARD CYLINDER ROTATABLE TO MOVE FIBERS FROM THEINLET END TO THE OUTLET END OF SAID CARD, AN ENDLESS CHAIN OF FLATS INCARDING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CYLINDER, THE FLATS BEING DISPOSEDPARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF THE CYLINDER IN A PAIR OF FLIGHTS SEPARATED BY APAIR OF BEIGHTS, THE INDIVIDUAL ADJACENT FLATS BEING RELATIVELY WIDELYINITIALLY SEPARATED BY AT LEAST 0.065 INCH SUBSTANTIALLY THROUGHOUT THEFLIGHTS AND RELATIVELY FURTHER SEPARATED AT THE BIGHTS FORMING AN AIRENCLOSURE HAVING SIDE OPENINGS BETWEEN THE FLIGHTS AND END OPENINGSBETWEEN THE FLATS AT THE BIGHTS, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID FLATS TO MOVE